Katrina took in the sight of Vul De Rah from her vantage point; she stood atop the wall of the large palace of House Ignos. Though the view of the bustling city below was quite beautiful and captivating, she had been waiting to see Hego Agron for nearly two hours now and was extremely agitated. After the battle with Daniel, she had been training nonstop with Avria, pushing her body and mind to the limit. The harsh regimen had taken its toll on her, but in the end, it would be worth it. At least that’s what she told herself.

When she first found herself in Pelemont, Katrina, along with Daniel and Robert, had struggled to find their place in this new world. That seemed so long ago. Illya had told Katrina that next month would mark the anniversary of their arrival here. A year, she thought. A full year had gone by already. Her thoughts turned to her family back home; did they mourn her? Would they ever know what happened? She still didn’t even know. The cogs of her mind spun again, and the first and most frustrating question she had, emerging from the deepest depths of her mind, How the hell did we get here? She looked at her hands, now calloused and worn from training; she didn’t even recognize them anymore.

Somehow, we all started to find our place here, she thought. Robert’s face then appeared, and a mixed cocktail of emotions roiled. Sadness, love, hatred, compassion, confusion. She focused on the latter. Why would he join the enemy? After they tried to kill him?

“Excuse me, Spirit-Sent,” a young Doulos servant called from behind. Katrina turned to her, wiping a stray tear that was welling in her eye. “The Hego will see you now.” The servant bowed to her, gesturing for her to proceed.

She strode into the Hego’s throne room. The vast area was filled with only a few honor guards, plus Avria and Oros standing before Agron. She stiffened when she saw Daniel there as well, not standing to the side like a normal squire, but with his arms crossed and conversing like normal. Why the hell did Oros allow him to do that? she thought, frustrated.

“Ah, Katrina,” Agron said, waving her over. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting.” She approached and saluted, an appropriate greeting. Katrina stood next to Avria and glanced at Daniel, a bit irritated that he had been allowed to attend the meeting before she was.

“Now, then,” Agron started. “We have received several messages from emissaries of the High King. According to the Torre’ messages, High King Phobos has offered a substantial reward for crushing this Rexunii rebellion. He has even given me permission to use the resources and support of his southern regent, Hego Vonos.”

Avria nodded. “My Lord, this will be very helpful for us. Lord Vonos is extremely wealthy and has no love for the Rexunii. Also,” she looked at Oros, “he promised you would be elected King of Lokkadonia at the next moot. Does the High King still plan on making this a reality?”

Agron sighed heavily. “It is not a position I want to hold. That is why I turned down my nomination at the last one. However, that was before I had my children.” He looked to Oros with a fondness in his eyes that only a father could have. “Now, I would like to see my line carry on as rulers of Lokkadonia. So yes, he will keep his promise. I will make sure of it.” He pointed to Avria with a slight grin on his face. “Now, hurry up and marry. I’ve been waiting forty years to call Telmos my brother and to bounce a grandchild on my knee.”

Avria’s face blushed a deep blue, and Oros just barked a laugh. “Don’t worry, father, we will have many children.”

She glared at him.

“Many,” he said, doubling down.

Agron chuckled but quickly returned to the subject at hand. “I want to send someone to see Cato; one of you.” He looked at Daniel and Katrina. “He has asked that a Spirit-Sent go to meet with him. He didn’t say why, but I’m guessing he wants to see one for himself. Hego Vonos has always been more levelheaded than the rest of his peers.”

“Father,” Oros said. “Isn’t that a bit reckless? We do not need to send them to Torre’ where they will be exposed to unnecessary danger. And during our preparation for war?”

Agron shook his head, leaning back in his throne. “We must send one of the Spirit-Sent. That was non-negotiable. We must make sacrifices like this to secure proper funding for the campaign. We’ll manage without them.”

Daniel looked at Katrina, a certain undeniable eagerness plastered on his face. Damn him, she thought.

“I’ll go,” Katrina said, stepping closer to Agron. “It will not be a problem, my Hego. Also, I’m curious to see the rest of Eleutheros.”

Oros grinned. “Boros has been looking for an opportunity to prove himself, father. Perhaps he could escort her. It would be a wonderful opportunity to show strength while cooperating with the Torre’.”

Avria sighed. “I suppose it isn’t a horrible idea.”

“I’m going too,” Daniel said, drawing looks from the rest.

“Daniel,” Katrina said, giving him her most convincing smile. She didn’t want to argue about who would go. “It’s fine; I can handle it. Don’t worry.”

“Sorry, Kat, but I’m not letting you go alone. The last time one of us left to run an errand, he never came back.” Daniel crossed his arms. “I’m going.”

The words cut to her core, the deep wound in her heart pulsing again. Katrina would have done the same thing if she could go back to when Robert left. She nodded and looked at the Hego. “Then it will be the both of us, my Lord.”

Avria pursed her lips, clearly irritated at the intrusion, but nodded in agreement. Oros just shrugged and turned to one of the honor guards. “Send a runner to bring Kryo Boros here, immediately.”

The masked warrior bowed and strode through the massive doors. Several minutes later, Boros entered and strode up to them with a smile on his face.

“Well, of course, I’ll go, father!” he said after they explained the situation to him. “I can continue their training as well.” He looked at Katrina. “If you’re up for it.”

Katrina nodded. Less about the training part, and more in terms of a Kryo accompanying them. It was no secret that Boros had an interest in her that was beyond friendship. Illya had been trying to get her to pursue something for several months now. Though tempting, the man was handsome, and his attraction to her was flattering, but the memory of Robert always seemed to emerge. She thought of him again at that moment. Would he be the same man he was? The stories she was told of his interrogation were gruesome, and now he was fighting for the enemy. Katrina shook the troublesome thoughts from her mind. Who knew what was going on over there? She only hoped that he would survive the coming conflict.

~

They left the next morning at first light. Boros assembled a hefty force of three hundred warriors to escort Daniel and Katrina and all accompanying dignitaries to the southern region of Torre’. Commanders from some of the most infamous war-groups in all of Vul De Rah were brought along as well. This was a show of strength to the Torre’, a display to solidify the confidence that the feeble rebellion to the south could be swiftly dealt with. At the same time, a clear reminder to the Torre’ that Daniel and Katrina were well protected.

As they traveled, Daniel found himself mostly ignored by the Kryo. He had insisted that he would be a better teacher to another Dae-Voh like Katrina, their mutual earth Dunamis being the perfect excuse. She didn’t seem to do much to protest the arrangement, so Daniel trained with some of the other commanders and officers in the company, one of them being Lord Glause of House Regias. The man was extremely powerful and well-deserving of his position as head of military training. Daniel was also surprised to find that he was a cousin of Delmos and Avria. Seeing how he was treated during the training; he never would have guessed.

The trek would only take several days; according to Boros, a high march through Lokkadonia into Torre’ was an easy one. Daniel observed much of the landscape of the territory he now called home and was quite jubilant to find the striking similarities it had to Earth. Lokkon was a grassy and green countryside, abundant with trees and a constant but pleasant breeze. The only thing that really stood out was the presence of large stone structures that littered the road. Commensurate to the Dae infrastructure, all the buildings were grown out of the ground itself. This was not surprising to Daniel anymore. Human beings’ technology was driven by the need to solve the problems they faced. They built tools to build more tools, and over thousands of years, achieved stunning feats in their technology. The Dae had the Dunamis, and they used it as a tool to develop their society in a way that was completely different, but also, strangely, not any less efficient.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

As they crossed the northern border of Lokkadonia into the southern Torre’ region, Daniel noticed that the presence of military fortifications and structures had all but disappeared. Instead, he saw dozens of caravans and merchants on the border; all the Dae seemed well dressed and content. There was no doubt that the Torre’ took pride in their industry and trade, not their military prowess.

During the travels, Daniel had been filled in a bit on who they were going to see and where it was. Hego Vonos’ estate was more of a plantation than the seat of power Agron held, a fortified palace in the center of a bustling city. Lord Vonos was a reasonable distance from his regional capital of Hur’dalan, leaving the majority of his duties to subordinates who made policy decisions on his behalf, and only bothered him when it was entirely necessary.

Daniel entered the grounds and was shocked to find the gardens and vegetation that led to the main estate were nearly identical to the Spirit Forest. He saw the same strange trees, blooming with explosive colors that seemed to captivate the senses, along with the bizarre bark that looked like skin and hair like branches. Katrina nudged his arm, looking at the display with the same astonished expression.

As they entered the strange building, instead of being led to a throne room of some kind, they were directed to a large dining area where they sat in large and luxurious chairs, surrounded by finery. Servants wearing trousers and jackets, made out of what Daniel could only describe as velvet, entered to serve refreshments.

After several tense and silent minutes, two large stone doors slid open soundlessly, and a handsome Dae entered with warm features and light blue skin. He was wearing a deep purple toga across his chest, had a fine tunic with brilliantly polished buttons, riding trousers, and leather boots. Daniel couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the sight of such regalia, though the toga reminded him of an ancient Roman emperor or politician.

“My dear Kryo Boros,” the Dae man said in a deep, almost royal sounding voice, giving his guests a slight bow. “It is so very good to see you again.” His eyes went to Daniel and Katrina, who sat next to one another. “These must be the humans.”

Boros stood to bow, considerably deeper than his, and turned to introduce them all. “Katrina and Daniel? I would like you all to meet Hego Cato, of House Vonos. Southern ward of clan Torre’, and friend to all of Lokkadonia.”

Katrina bowed, and Daniel followed. “It is very nice to meet you, my Lord,” she said.

Cato smiled brightly and gestured for everyone to sit down. “So, my young Kryo. Last time I saw you, you were only this high.” He lifted his hand to around the height of his lap. “And you ran around, terrorizing my poor daughter with a wooden stick.” He chuckled. “She is not here, unfortunately, traveling to the capital you see, but is due back any day. I am confident she will join us shortly, along with my wife.”

“Ah,” Boros said, clearly embarrassed. “Well, yes, that would be very nice to see Phenia again. It has been a long time. How is your wife, Zinnia? And your son, Kryo… uh...” He struggled to remember. “Pyxxis! Yes, how does he fare these days? He and Oros got along quite well, last I heard.”

Cato’s smile broadened. “They are all well. Pyxxis is all the way in Delmaya now, studying at the Shayak Libreos, no less. Spirits know it is a strange place, what with the heretic savages and all.” He looked at Daniel and Katrina again. “I hear he has met a human over there as well, he has written the most peculiar things. This is partly why I have asked to meet one of you. I am blessed that Agron decided to let me meet them both.” He looked closer at Daniel, studying him. “You seem to have adopted the culture of Vul De Rah quite well.”

Daniel’s mind raced at the mention of other humans, but before he could speak, he was interrupted by Kat.

“We have,” Katrina said, her eyes narrowing and her tone going serious. “No thanks to your clan.”

Boros shot her a fierce glance, warning her against further disrespect.

Cato sighed and nodded. “Very unfortunate. And I must apologize for my clan. They are blinded by fear. Fear of something they do not understand.” He took a long drink from a bowl of wine. “I assure you, they do not know that you are both here with me. Like I told you before, my son has told me very interesting things about you humans… world changing. I trust my son, and I know he would not say these things unless they were true.”

“What was the human’s name?” Daniel asked. “Did he mention that at all?”

Cato looked up and scratched his chin. “Something like… Malex… I must apologize. Human names are remarkably interesting, but new to me.”

“Alex?” Daniel answered, trying to spark the Dae’s memory.

“Yes! That was it. I was close,” he said.

Daniel nodded, and Katrina put a supportive hand on his shoulder. “You’ll find them, Dan.”

Daniel and Katrina both shook their heads afterward in silence, and Boros leaned forward. “My Lord, we are here to discuss the wishes of High King Phobos as well. The rebellion of the Rexunii is the greatest threat to Eleutheros.”

Cato laughed. “My young Kryo, if what my son has told me is true, and I certainly believe that it is, this little rebellion is nothing compared to the true threat to not just Eleutheros, but all of Pelemont.” The Hego paused, letting his words sink in. “There is a great threat that has been seen by the human, Alex, in Vohnavix.” He looked at Daniel and Katrina, seeing their confusion. “My apologies, I know you aren’t familiar with our maps and territories. Vohnavix is a large island to the Northeast of Vohnarahv, the continent where we are. This is where my son met this human… and he tells me that human has a particular power, gifted to him by one of the Great Spirits. The power of sight.”

Boros looked on, his face one of strong skepticism. “A Great Spirit?”

Cato saw this and sighed again. “There are forces gathering against the Dae, a true evil that would see us all dead. The humans’ arrival here isn’t a coincidence; they are heralds to our salvation. You don’t have to believe me, but please pass these words on to your father. I pray that he will understand. For he is one of the few Dae I know who will heed the call of the Great Spirits, and defy those in power to do what is right, not what they want.” He pointed to Daniel and Katrina. “Your being here is proof enough of that. He could have listened to the fools in the capital of Belous and killed you, but instead, he heard the words of the spirits and protected you.”

Several moments passed in silence as they contemplated his words. Boros finally spoke. “Well, my Lord, I will pass this to my father, with the same urgency and care that you have displayed here. However, I still must return with information for the rebellion. We were promised your support.”

Cato waved his hand dismissively. “Yes, yes, of course. You all are treating this little rebellion like it is some cataclysmic event. Trust me when I say this. I have seen a hundred would-be conquerors rise, burning brightly at first, like a raging fire. Only for us all to see them smolder and fade as they are snuffed out. This child king to the south has nothing we haven’t seen before, even less in fact. He has no allies, no trade, no navy, and is surrounded by clans that want nothing more than to pick the corpse of his territory once he is killed. Once his meager forces are defeated, loyal clans will march in and reap the spoils. It is unfortunate, but the Rexunii people will suffer for the sins of their arrogant king.” Cato stood from his chair, waving to a servant to hand him a bowl of wine. “Enough of this business. I would like to speak to the two of you and learn of your people. Please, allow me to show you my gardens.”

~

As they walked, Boros took a moment to speak with the Hego. Judging from the hushed voices and informal body language, Daniel could see that this was something he probably wanted to keep private. He pulled Katrina by her arm and slowed her pace. “Another human. With strange powers?” Daniel mentioned, not really as a question, but more as a statement. “What do you think?”

Katrina pondered for a moment, shaking her head slightly. “I don’t know. It looks like there’s more to us being here, but what the hell do humans have to do with the great spirits? We all lived normal and separate lives from each other. How we got to this world, or why, is still a mystery.”

“Yeah, we aren’t even sure where ‘here’ actually is. Are we in another dimension? Or another planet in our galaxy?” Daniel massaged his forehead. “The question of the century.”

Katrina stopped and looked up at Daniel; her eyes held an aspect of determination, but also a deep sadness. “Dan, we have to face the fact that we are never going to get home. We probably won’t even know how we got here.” She grabbed his arm. “We have to find a way to live here and stick together.” She looked toward Boros and lowered her voice. “We have to think about the future, and…” she paused, “…and try to get Robert back… again. God knows what they did to him, but we have to do something.”

“How?” Daniel asked. “We aren’t exactly in a position where we can just walk up to him and take him back. What if he doesn’t want to come? Hell, they said he’s a Kryo now. Don’t ask me how that works because it’s a goddamn mystery to me. Not to mention the other humans that are out there. I’ve been thinking about that a lot… you know that, though.”

Katrina turned to walk again, letting go of his arm. Daniel could see her eyes were starting to redden and well with tears. He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder, keeping her from walking away. “We’ll figure something out, ok? Things are complicated right now, but I know we can make it work. I mean, look how far we’ve come.” She stopped but didn’t look at him. Daniel figured it was probably because she didn’t want him to see her cry. “Whether by luck or sheer willpower, we have managed to survive here, thrive even. But you’re right; we need to stick together.”

She turned slowly to look at him, having composed herself mostly. “We will,” she said. “No matter what happens.”